We Are Made of Better Stuff Than This

In a world that seems utterly and tragically insane at the moment, this glimpse into inexpressible beauty keeps me in a place where awe and wonder triumph over fear and hatred. Where the simple wonders of nature trump (and I use that word purposely) racism, xenophobia, and fascism.

That there are people cheering this on is simply appalling. If we let ourselves fall, even for a moment, into this muck, this miasma of vile intolerance , we will have lost our souls in the process. And we will have played right into the hands of those we are fighting. We will be no better than them.

I had an experience on social media this weekend that left me angry and shaken. I won’t go into details, except to say that I witnessed a sort of rigid, non-questioning, knee-jerk-reaction mindset that makes me deeply uncomfortable. Especially when the assumptions being drawn are based on a few words in a headline rather than the entire article in context and when there seems to be no desire on the part of those making those assumptions to investigate further. They’d rather cling to their outrage, an outrage that has no real foundation because it isn’t based on the facts. When the facts that could clarify a situation or story are deemed unimportant in the greater scheme of maintaining righteous indignity, we’re in deep trouble.

When we assume that any group of people, whether ethnic, political, or religious, is comprised of people who believe exactly the same thing, and who are all good, or all bad, we clearly have let fear take over. Fear of anything or anyone different. Fear of ideas other than the ones we cling to. Fear of those who might believe and express their faith in a different manner than we do. Fear of ‘other.’

Someone on that social media thread actually used the phrase ‘liberal God haters.’ The sheer ignorance of this statement, of the fear that must be fueling that commenter, astounds and sickens me. I have no time for that.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I do know this. Unless we go forward with compassion, tolerance and love, we haven’t a hope in hell.

We’re only a few decades past the internment of Japanese Americans in camps, past yellow stars worn on sleeves, past the Holocaust, past the House Un-American Activities Committee, past lives ruined, lives lost, lives forever changed.

In the blink of an eye, it could happen again.

I believe in the power of prayer, in whatever form. But I also know this. We were created with free will. These horrors are entirely man-made. And it’s up to us to take action, to change things, to make a difference. Sitting back and doing nothing isn’t the answer.

Comments

I am so terribly afraid for this country. The hate that the media plays on, the hate that comes out of the mouths of those in power, the hate in general. This election that is coming up fills me with fear. It seems as though we will need to pick the least of all evils as our President. I hope our country can pull itself up by the bootstraps and have a United States to be proud of. Scary times ahead.

I had a similar situation on social media this week too. Someone I have known since high school, 40 years. She was so vociferous that she posted if any of her friends were going to vote for a particular person to please unfriend her as she felt that strongly about it.
REALLY!?!
I’m not on social media to be political, or read or debate political stuff, I’m there to connect with people I can’t see in person.
We are all entitled to our own opinions and I pretty much keep mine to myself. Vile hatred coming out of someone’s keyboard is not for me, especially as in her previous post she was all about how her parents were holocaust survivors. Guess that lesson wasn’t really learned.
We ARE better than that, you are so right. Thank you for sharing.

Wow. That’s hard to fathom – having parents who were holocaust survivors but practicing the same sort of intolerance that created the holocaust. Sometimes we just have to unfriend people. I have, that’s for sure.

I have a friend on FB that stated the same thing – that if you “liked” ______ (a particular political candidate) or that you were going to vote for him, that you’d better unfriend her right now. I thought that was hateful, intolerant and ignorant.

Amen to this Claudia! You put into words everything I’ve been feeling but couldn’t find a way to say. I had my own social media fiasco this past week over the French not putting up American flags as their profile pics after the San Bernardino shootings. I chose to unfollow the person as he’s my sister’s roommate. I felt unfriending him would feed into his love of drama and validate his ignorance. People are becoming rabid and hateful in their herd mentality. They don’t seem to see that their reactionary beliefs are bringing us as a nation closer and closer to Hitler’s Germany.

I totally agree! The Trump is an embarrassment to me as an American. I too have thought of the Holocaust and the Japanese Internment and the unkindness shown daily. And you are right, we can all do our part each day. Thank you for your heartfelt words today.

I had an experience the last election cycle that shook me, but this current climate horrifies me. Last cycle, a knowledgeable friend who supports the arts and community outreach programs sent me an email about some problem in the actions of a female politician. I checked it out. It wasn’t true. Demonstrably not true. In all innocence, I wrote him back as I thought he would want to correct the misinformation. He replied that he didn’t care if it was true or not, if it turned people against that female politician. This is someone I had trusted. Since that election cycle, we have seen more and more of that kind of attitude: it doesn’t matter whether it’s true or not if it vilifies the other person and encourages hatred of another person across the aisle.

It wasn’t only the Japanese who were interned during WWII. Many Italian-Americans were forced out of their homes, too, as were German-Americans. Some Italian nationals were forced into internment camps, too, although some sources say Italian-American citizens or long-term residents weren’t usually interned, just newly immigrated Italian nationals. My husband’s family tells stories of Italian immigrant grandparents who spoke no or little English requiring their children to speak only English, even inside the house, out of fear. When I asked my husband why he spoke no Italian at all, despite having grandparents who spoke no English who lived well into his childhood, he pointed to that WWII period as the reason. They wanted to assimilate as quickly as possible, even if it meant they could not communicate effectively with their own children growing up here or at all with their grandchildren.

I have grandchildren whose last name clearly points to their paternal grandfather’s family origins as being from a Muslim-dominated country. That family has been Catholic for two generations, but I am fearful for my grandchildren and especially for their paternal grandfather in this climate.

We must “go forward with compassion, tolerance and love,” as you have mentioned. That’s imperative. We also must vote. Every one of us, including people like me in a state from which much of the vitriol and craziness emanates, so that I know my vote will be overrun.

Thank you for reminding us that others were also forced into those camps and that there was a strong element of fear in this country of our German and Italian-American citizens. Those of us who have never had to face this must realize how quickly we can be labeled ‘suspect.’

Excellently put, Claudia. Fear and ignorance are a potent combination, one that demagogues know how to use to their advantage. Add me to the number disturbed and distressed about the direction so many in this country are taking as we head into the next election.

I couldn’t agree more and thanks for saying it so well. I also find it a very frightening time for our country and world. At a time when we should be pulling together, it seems that the one thing for certain is never to agree with our president or try to stand united as a country. In all my 70 years I can’t remember a time like this. If ever you try to voice your opinion someone seems to come back with a vicious attack. The only thing I know for sure to do is vote when the time comes and pray for peace. Jan

Well said, Claudia. As someone from across the border, I have a very hard time wrapping my head around what I perceive as illogical arguments and xenophobia. Have we learned nothing from the past? I had a similar social media wake up call this week – from someone I had worked with overseas spewing hateful words. It shocked and saddened me. Praying for peace and love in the hearts of your countrymen (and those in my own country who feel this way, too).

I, too, am very fearful for the future of this country. There is so much hatred…have we learned nothing from history? Thank you for speaking so eloquently about this. I am fearful of this next election…and the rising tide of xenophobia. Have these people forgotten that as a nation…we are a country of immigrants? I am fearful of the hatred that I hear so many espouse…truly fearful!

I understand. Last night, it kept me awake. I debated whether I should write this post, Donna. I held off yesterday, but then the news cycle showed me even more hate and intolerance, so I had to write something.

I am sitting in my comfortable house, smelling the soup I am preparing for dinner, wearing warm clothes and knowing that my children and grandchildren are safe and well fed.
There are grandmothers all over the world who can say the same. To our eternal shame, there are also grandmothers all over the world who have no idea where their loved ones are at this time. They can be on the ocean, praying for sanctuary, buried in an unmarked grave, sold into slavery, abused and degraded.
Terrorist have been coming across the US borders for generations. Legally and illegally. They will come and we will try to find them. Sometimes we will fail and sometimes we will be successful.
We are talking about people! We could be those people next year, next week or tomorrow None of us are given a look into the future.
In my belief, we are to “feed my sheep”, take care of “the least of these” and “suffer the little children to come unto Me”. My God does not give a spirit of fear, but of love and compassion.
This spirit of fear, anger and spitefulness begins all wars, retaliations and riots.
We should ask ourselves “How would we react if we did not believe what the world tells us and reached into our hearts for the truth?
I do not say these things in the spirit of “how wonderful that I am who I am”, but out of profound thankfulness for the blessings my God has bestowed on me. He does not expect me to set on my blessings, but to share them.
I will get off my soapbox now, Claudia. Thank you for this post and making me feel that I can share my outlook without censor.

Well said my friend, well said. I am afraid for the future of our country and the world. I look at my innocent grands and think of all the children in this world and all this hate. Makes no sense to me.
hugs,
Linda

You are absolutely correct that so many individuals today do not think past the latest headline.

If our choice is to allow the press and politicians to educate us then we have no hope to move past what has overtaken this country. Ideology reigns supreme at the moment, and those who choose to see all things from a political position have forgotten how to respect opinions which differ from their own. If we look to Washington, there is more than enough blame to go around on both sides of the political aisle.

If educators choose to teach history, not as it happened, but through their own interpretation, then it is our responsibility to challenge our youth with facts. Reading beyond what is in the textbooks of today and conversation with those who experienced history first hand might help move our youth forward.

Wonderful post on a topic which we would all hope to never have to discuss. Hopefully, civility and common sense will return and we can move forward as the inclusive, wonderful country we know exists among her people.

On a morning when I wake up and hear a quote from Dick Cheney….and it actually makes some sense to me…. well, I know I am either in Bizzaro-World or else this mess is delivering us all to hell.
I haven’t been on any social media in over 2 weeks. I surrender… “Uncle” ~ I truly can’t take any more of it.
And the one who TRUMPS all of the most ridiculous things I can’t believe I am hearing ~ draws a room full of dunderheads who applaud him.
Where am I?
Maybe it is a really bad dream and we will all wake up soon.
However, sadly, I think it is a true nightmare.

I am pretty sure that you and I would have a few theological differences ;) but everything that you are upset about, I am too. While I am horrified that any person in the public eye would say or think some of the things that I have heard in the last year, I am even more horrified that my fellow Americans would jump on their bandwagons. I celebrated yesterday the paper that came in the mail yesterday removing my name from any political party enrollment. (I won’t say which one I un-enrolled from, but since my disgust is SO strong, you could probably guess.) I sent that in way back when the vaccination issue was big (and I had reached my limit). It took until now for the process to work, I guess. Anyway, it is on my refrigerator with stars drawn all around it. These beliefs of mine put me at odds with many of my church family, but so be it. I try to be a voice of reason there.

Good for you, Laura. I rarely talk about religion on this blog, because my beliefs are private and my own. I’m actually a very spiritual person who doesn’t engage in organized religion. But that’s not to say I don’t have a deep faith. I do. But it’s a faith that has evolved from lots of reading and spiritual work over the course of many years. I’m comfortable with it.

Anyway, the point is that everyone is entitled to their own beliefs – including Muslims.That’s what this country was founded upon and the very idea of disenfranchising any ethnic/religious group; worse yet, the condemning and deporting of them, is shameful.

Isn’t the news these days sad-making enough without all the added vitriol? At the end of the day, aren’t we supposed to help one another?

I have been corresponding with a fellow miniature enthusiast from America who the other day signed off with ‘in international friendliness’. Wasn’t that a lovely sentiment? Now if only we could get everyone else on board..

Claudia,
Nicely written. I am so terrified of what’s to come. I am forcing myself to live in the moment or the anxiety is too much. Not being very successful I am afraid. I keep asking my husband “what are we going to do?” and he just sadly shakes his head.

I am horrified to admit that I come from a family of haters. Yup, they are “those” people. I literally have had to break off almost all contact over the past 10 years. I was brought up by parents who spewed hateful words about color, religion, economic status, nationality, etc. My father’s parents were immigrants so he is 1st generation! They never spoke English & he didn’t either till he started school. My siblings apparently listened because they are the same. Somehow (thankfully! ) I was always different and knew they were wrong . I can only imagine the hate they are saying right now. . My parents actually STOPPED SPEAKING to my husband & I when we put an Obama sign on our front lawn! And this was nearly 8 years ago before all this current crap. We still barely speak and they live only a mile away. Breaks my heart. My father always sneers at me and calls me- wait for it……..a SOCIALIST. That is a super swear word to him. But that’s another story…..

These are the kind of people I fear. There are so many of them. They believe trump and the others. They actually BELIEVE President Obama is a Muslim, born in Africa, etc.They are angry and THEY VOTE!!!

Thank God I met my husband who is like me so I was able to escape the hate. But, again, what are we going to do??? What are we going to do?………. ?

Oh, heavens. I’m so sorry, Luanne. I wonder if people really understand what socialism is? I think those that are so quick to use that word like a weapon really have no idea what socialism encompasses or that many of the programs in this country that they rely on are based on a socialism model.

I don’t know what we are going to do. I’m afraid for this country. We have to band together and stop this inflammatory rhetoric. We have to vote. We have to write our representatives. And, we just might have to take to the streets and express our feelings.

Well said. I can’t believe what is happening in our country. How many times do we have to learn the same lesson. Remember the old saying, one bad apple doesn’t spoil the whole bunch. I’m very concerned about this upcoming election.

Your words have been my thoughts! You are so very eloquent and can get your ideas across so well. We may not agree on everything but we do certainly agree on many. This is the whole reason for your post, is it not? No one has to agree with another on all things but we have the right and the moral obligation to disagree with kindness and understanding. It should be our goal to accept others the way they are and love them unconditionally. In a world so full of hate and strife one wonders “what can I, one person, do to help heal the world?” Then I am reminded of words in a song that says “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me”. It has to start somewhere so if enough of us believe that there is hope for our world then maybe, just maybe, it can “begin with me”. Peace be with you and thank you for a beautiful post!

Thank you! I appreciate your sharing what I hope more people than it seems right now share. My concern is that Trump is not the only politician going down this fear rode. Yes, the media loves to feed our fears as well. Trump doesn’t have to buy television time because since the beginning of his campaign they have given him so much free press that it has fueled his popularity. I fear for my grandchildren. Not the terrorist- but the politics and the culture we seem to be evolving into. Peace and Love, Lani

Thank you for expressing my feelings so well. I don’t understand the mindset of
so many people and why they are so accepting and supportive of various hate statements being made.
I love your country but worry about the wrong path that so many are taking.

I’m sort of in medical hell right now and it’s hard to write much…I didn’t intend to…but my husband read me your post and I can’t NOT tell you IMMEDIATELY how poignant and eloquent this is from you; thank you, Claudia.

It is very easy for me to feel undermined right now due to my health (I’m okay; it’s mostly all a big nuisance at the wrong time of the year) and, like everyone, I’m overwhelmed at what’s in the news. I’m a Southern Californian. I go to Redlands. I go to San Bernardino. This is just ‘way too ‘close to home.’ The articles on the web and news stories on the TV are fueling us with fear…even Governor Brown basically saying to stay alert; be on our guard; this could happen anywhere. How can you ‘live’ if you’re always looking over your shoulder??

I was at the doctor’s office this morning and burst into tears…and I discussed with the doctor that, yeah, I’m feeling fragile in more ways than one…but I don’t want to be that way; I want to be strong and defiant against all that’s wrong in my world! My husband’s going to a meeting tonight in the local area where hundreds will attend…it’s nothing political, it’s simply about weather and climate; but I’d found myself thinking, ‘they’ are saying to avoid places where people gather in larger numbers, maybe he should stay home. Yes, I caught myself succumbing to fear. My husband said, “We will not stop our lives. That’s what they want. I’m going to the meeting and I refuse to be afraid.”

I’ve turned off the evening news; I don’t want to see any more long lines of people lined up at gun shops, buying weapons. I hail from many immigrant ancestors who came to America from Western Europe to ESCAPE fear so I feel that I’m doing them no justice if I buy into it now. Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Day and I put out the flag for my WWII veteran father. He was stationed on Oahu not long after Pearl. Mother and Dad had tried over the years to explain the Japanese-American internments…they had good friends who had to leave their homes in SoCalif for the remote ‘camps’ (lives totally disrupted; truly decent and lovely people who loved their country of the USA). It’s all come back to me this week…

We have to remember what came before…and where we can never, ever go again, separating out groups of people because of their race or religion; it’s too Hitler-esque.

You’re right, we have to remember what we’re made of and not let FEAR rule. We keep getting nicked since 911 with these horrible occurrences of violence and senseless death; it gets to us; we’ve lost an innocence that probably was never there. But I think we just have no alternative but to plow ahead and keep living our lives…stoke the wood in the fireplace, bake the sugar cookies (well, kinda hard to do that when our temps today were in the 90s again), do the holiday errands and refuse to have the rug pulled out from underneath us.

Good HAS to prevail. Carols and hymns I’m finding are soothing to me right now. And I hug my dog about 1,000 times a day to where she’s running for cover.

It is indeed too close to home for you, Vicki. I applaud your husband for saying that you need to go on with your lives – otherwise, you’re letting the bad guys win. We absolutely have to remember the past. We are perilously close to the way of thinking that led to injustice and atrocities. Thank you. Feel better, my friend.

My advise would be to not go on social media, news media or any other kind of media. When you do that you are giving them exactly what they want. Use that time to be the change you want to see….we can’t just say we don’t know the answers.

Thank you, Claudia, for putting into words how I am feeling. As you have so eloquently written, the fear mongering, and the base behavior of our elected, and those wishing to be elected, are taking us to a very frightening place. All reason seems lost.
My friends, family and I are putting out as much love and kindness in every direction we are able.
May our world come around again to peace and understanding.

Thank you so much to so many of your readers for their thoughts on this state we find ourselves in…..may it help to spread the words of compassion and peace.

Claudia, I truely believe that the Internet is the best thing (think medicine, education, etc.) and the worst thing (bigotry, hatred and ignorance spreading unchecked) that has ever happened. Too many people unthinkingly accept whatever is given as gospel on social media, and forget what their brains are for.

We say that all the time, Marianne. That the internet is incredible, but also a scourge of sorts. So many people see it, and believe it, without investigating – let’s face it, the internet also allows us to fully investigate things quite easily.

“To silence in silence makes cowards of men…” Abraham Lincoln never said anything truer. So, good for you, Claudia!! I’m GLAD you felt the need to say this. Everyone should speak up about important matters, whether they find their opinions popular or not. Because nothing ever gets solved, or addressed, or changed when people sit quietly by, waiting for the elusive Someone Else to make the first move. PS – the great Tina Fey also said “Do your thing – and don’t care if anyone else likes it…”

PS – I’ve never believed Trump is truly serious about being President anyway. I’d bet anything that this latest verbal diarrhea of his is the first volley of a deliberate effort on his part to scuttle his campaign. I think he threw his toupee into the ring because he was bored and narcissistic and wanted to amuse himself for a while. And he’s certainly had fun getting lots of attention, shooting off his yapper at every opportunity, and showing the rest of the world what an ugly American looks like. He doesn’t really want to be President. He’s a textbook narcissist – and I doubt he’d like it very much. Presidents have too many people telling them where to go, what to do and what to say. Something tells me Donald doesn’t handle that very well. Too rich and too spoiled.

I hope you’re right. He is indeed a narcissist – classic case – but the fact that so many people are echoing his words, cheering for him at rallies, spewing hatred – it’s very frightening and disheartening.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts…There is nothing here that has not been in my own thoughts lately…I do appreciate hearing the opinion of others…and I do agree Claudia…I have never seen such fear of the unknown in this country…Those people who are spewing such hate and venom are I believe the main cause of this fear…

“This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.”

Claudia, I read this shortly after you posted it and I kept turning it over in my mind. As others have said, you put my exactly thoughts in to words.

I’ve been saying for months that so much of the hate-speech sounds exactly like the talking that brought Hitler to power.

I will continue, to the best of my ability and God’s help, to live by the Greatest Commandment. “You shall love the Lord your God with all heart, with all your mind and all your soul and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Well said, Claudia. These are upsetting and frightening times and I wonder if the small things I do made any difference. I have never seen such fear and hatred between people! Yesterday, Pope Francis opened a Jubilee Year of Mercy, I hope & pray that this will help heal our world.

Claudia, did you see Tom Brokaw’s piece last night on The Nightly News? It is perfect, and says much of what you said here. Like you, I am so disheartened that so many people are supporting the hate speech of Donald Trump, and I was so touched by Brokaw’s history lesson.

I admire your excellent ability to express these thoughts, Claudia. I avoid controversy like the plague mostly because I know I lack the effective and appropriate words to say to offer my perspective. People I love are on both sides of a ton of issues so I can at least try to have tolerance for their views. But it is really very hard to do. It is long past time, I know, to speak up anyway. You have set a marvellous example.

Just catching up on my blog reading. Excellent post, Claudia, as always. Have you seen the reviews for George Takei’s play on Broadway? Allegiance, I think it’s called; about his family’s experience with internment camps. Sadly, the timing of its production is on point. Who ever would have thought? Frightening times, indeed.

Welcome!

I live in a little cottage in the country with my husband and dog. It's a sweet place, sheltered by old trees and surrounded by gardens. The inside is full of the things we love. I love to write, I love my camera, I love creating. My decorating style is eclectic but if I had to call it anything, I'd call it Christmas in Connecticut, after all those forties movies with comfy cottage style.

I've worked in the theater for more years than I can count. I'm currently a voice, speech, dialect and text coach freelancing on Broadway, off Broadway, and in regional theater.

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